Update: Sheriff’s deputies search home on 35th SW near Roxbury

| Crime | West Seattle news | Westwood

(photo added 5:05 pm – one of the many officers who were there before sunset, thinning out some now)
Checked this out after a phone tip: There’s a sizable King County Sheriff’s Office presence on 35th just north of the strip mall at the northeast corner of Roxbury (map). So far, we’ve been told it’s “warrant service.” Checking with KCSO (this is in the city limits but no Seattle Police in sight – so it’s clearly a county case) to see if there’s any more info. No traffic effects, though the operation is quite eye-catching if you’re driving by. 5:16 PM UPDATE: Some of the officers have left, but right now the “search” part of the reported search warrant appears to be under way – from the street, you can see that officers are inside conducting an extensive search. 5:36 PM UPDATE: Just got a call back from Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Sgt. John Urquhart. He confirms it’s a drug case but, since it’s still ongoing, doesn’t have info on arrests or what’s been seized, yet. The house is in the city limits but since KCSO “developed the case,” as he put it, they’re the ones handling it.

Gyngersnap January 26, 2010 (4:45 pm)

Yes, I was told by neighbors that it’s a drug selling operation that has been under surveillance for some time.

clark5080 January 26, 2010 (4:54 pm)

Man I just missed the action I drive by there every day on my way to work at 4:00 I would have thought the drug house would have been south of there two blocks on 35th
jim

(required) January 26, 2010 (5:19 pm)

Helicopters now circling above …

WSB January 26, 2010 (5:25 pm)

Required, can you tell (I know it’s getting dark) if it’s a news chopper or Guardian 1? My money’s on the former – still a “slow news day” on a citywide basis and the prospect of aerials of a SWAT-type operation might have brought them out.

MrZach January 26, 2010 (5:20 pm)

I wonder if the giant boom that preceded this posting time has anything to do with it…

WSB January 26, 2010 (5:23 pm)

Often a noise-making device like that is used before officers enter (sometimes they also have bright flashes and maybe even smoke) – to catch the occupants off guard or distract them. While we were there, it was clear they’d already made entry (the front door was open, etc.).

rockergirl January 26, 2010 (5:27 pm)

Chopper hovering now too!

MrZach January 26, 2010 (5:31 pm)

Looks like a KIRO news helicopter – red circled “7”

westseattleloner January 26, 2010 (5:32 pm)

They looking for me..

Ycart January 26, 2010 (5:34 pm)

I saw the Kiro 7 logo as well rightbefore it got dark.

J January 26, 2010 (5:37 pm)

About time they busted that house. I’ve called about suspicious activity so many times!

Westside J. January 26, 2010 (5:37 pm)

Pretty sure it was the channel 7 helicopter.. I live a couple doors south of Roxbury on 35th, I was wondering what was going on! Thanks WSB :)

MrZach January 26, 2010 (5:40 pm)

Is a fire dept./ambulance presence typical for a warrant issue? A ladder truck and two ambulances were staged on Roxbury west of 35th just after the loud bang – without lights or sirens.

WSB January 26, 2010 (5:42 pm)

I just added a little info from the KCSO spokesperson. Not much though. Hard to say what the circumstances were but if they initially had to go in, not knowing what they were going to find, something precautionary like that wouldn’t be out of the question.

waman January 26, 2010 (6:37 pm)

I thought the house was a half way house/group home?

Living in West Seattle since 1985 January 26, 2010 (6:54 pm)

wow lots going on! I had no idea all that was going on when I was at Westwood village at the same time!

chad January 26, 2010 (6:59 pm)

i heard a big bang in my basment im not sure if it was related but im curious

J January 26, 2010 (7:13 pm)

The house is Section 8 and has tons of people coming and going at all hours of the day and night. I’ve called SPD about people leaving through windows with garbage bags and speedy alley drive-throughs at 4am and have been patronized with replies like “what is so suspicious about that?”. I’d be curious to learn more, but mostly I hope these folks move out.

Smoothbob January 26, 2010 (10:16 pm)

Looks like KCSO is having to go into the Seattle City limits to clean up the neighborhood. As a veteran SPD officer told me, “when we drive by the dirtbags laught; when KCSO drives by, they look down and act like they are behaving..”

fyi January 26, 2010 (10:44 pm)

Roxbury is the Seattle City Limit – King County PD handles that line not SPD.

WSB January 26, 2010 (10:58 pm)

Just to be clear, as we noted in the story. The location here, 9400 block of Roxbury, is in the city limits. But the case was developed by the Sheriff’s Office, so they searched the warrant – we certainly have covered cases in the past that have worked the other way, Seattle PD serving warrants on county turf, when it happened to be their case. The KCSO spokesperson did not have any details – case too fresh – about the origins or nature of the case, but we’ll be checking again tomorrow – TR

JEM January 27, 2010 (1:04 pm)

fyi – line is not Roxbury at that location anyways.

dave January 27, 2010 (3:12 pm)

Someone mentioned they thought the drug house would be south 2 blocks. I ran out of gas in front of those guys (tarp) house a few years back they were nice enough gave me some gas. I think they just have a towing business or something out of there. I don’t ever see them bothering anyone I just think they get a bad rap because they don’t have the squeaky clean seattle look. Anyways, it at least sounds like they busted this place yesterday for real drugs, heroin it seems now that’s a drug bust I can appreciate. Usually they are after people who grows plants or sell plant parts which I think is silly in our day and age…

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